Arsenal vs Liverpool: Granit Xhaka retakes his throne

Arsenal will need their best players in their best positions to hold tight against Liverpool, and that means putting Granit Xhaka back on the throne.

Not many Arsenal fans see Granit Xhaka as a major piece of the club’s successes, but to ignore this crucial truth is to brush off all the signs that have been established proving exactly that. When Granit Xhaka is in the middle of the pitch, and when he is at his best, his presence has a way of working like a metronome for the Gunners.

He’s a safety net for attackers and a sure bet for defenders to push the ball forward. Of course Xhaka has his flaws, but when he is clicking, there is such a difference in the match itself.

We didn’t have that difference against Crystal Palace. For as much as I value Torreira and Guendouzi – and they absolutely serve their purpose – they can’t replicate the stability that an in-form Xhaka can bring.

When Xhaka was pushed out to leftback against Palace, there was a noticeable difference in the way the game flowed. There was no presence in the middle of the pitch.

Guendouzi is aspiring to be more of a driving force, but he doesn’t have that presence yet, and can be a bit erratic with his advances. Torreira, meanwhile, is great for what he does, and he is learning to push play forward too, but not like Xhaka.

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Xhaka has that versatility of being able to take the ball himself, or simply survey the pitch and find the best possible passing lane.

Consider it Xhaka’s throne in the middle of the pitch. As long as he sits on that throne, the kingdom is in a good state. It’s when other teams seek to knock him off, as Liverpool will undoubtedly do, or when he is forced to play at fullback, that the ruling authority of the Swiss midfielder isn’t seen.

It’s looking like Xhaka won’t have to deputize at leftback. with Maitland-Niles for sure back and Monreal and Kolasinac still on track to return, Xhaka will have the first obstacle out of the way. That’s a start.

Now we just need him to settle into the spot and do what he’s been doing in what has been a very successful year for him.

A lot can be won and lost with Xhaka’s performance, so let’s hope he can be as influential as he’s needed to be.